2026 general election: what the results mean for Washington property owners
Preliminary results as of Wednesday, November 4, 2026. Every number here is unofficial. Ballots postmarked by Election Day are still arriving, close races can move several points, and counties certify on November 24. We will update this post as the count continues.
Washington voters moved the state further from balance on Tuesday, and property owners will feel it in the 2027 session. Five of nine Supreme Court seats, every state House seat, and about half the Senate were on the ballot. Here is where things stand and what it means for you.
The bottom line
- A House supermajority is likely. Democrats lead in 68 of 98 House seats, two past the 66 needed for two-thirds, and in 31 of 49 Senate seats.
- The income tax survived. I-645, the repeal, is failing 41.9% to 58.1%. The 9.9% tax on household income above $1 million stays on track for 2028, and supporters will read the result as a green light for more revenue, including new taxes on real estate.
- Tenant measures are winning locally. Tacoma's Measure 1 and Bellingham's Initiative 26-01 are both passing, and supporters will point to them as momentum for statewide tenant legislation.
- The Supreme Court race to watch is Position 4. The new court is likely to decide the income tax challenge and the HB 1217 rent control lawsuit.
Washington Supreme Court
| Position | Candidate in WBPA's voter guide | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Position 4 (open seat) | Sean O'Donnell | Leading, 50.9% to Ian Birk's 48.7% (too close to call) |
| Position 5 | Dave Larson | Trailing, 44.3% to Justice Theo Angelis's 55.4% |
| Position 3 (open seat) | David Stevens | Trailing, 41.9% to Judge Jaime Hawk's 57.7% |
| Position 1 | Scott Edwards | Trailing, 39.8% to Justice Colleen Melody's 60.0% |
| Position 7 | Todd Bloom | Trailing, 36.0% to Chief Justice Debra Stephens's 63.8% |
Candidates backed by the governor and Democratic leaders lead comfortably in four of the five races. The exception is the open Position 4, the most expensive court race of the year. King County Superior Court Judge Sean O'Donnell leads Court of Appeals Judge Ian Birk by about 40,000 votes. O'Donnell drew support from moderate Democrats, including former Govs. Gregoire and Locke, and the business community. Birk was backed by Gov. Ferguson, Attorney General Brown, labor, and the trial bar. Late ballots have often favored progressive-backed court candidates, so this one will take days to settle.
The stakes for property owners are high. This court is likely to hear the challenge to the state income tax and the HB 1217 rent control lawsuit WBPA joined with RHAWA and MHCW. One seat can decide how the court reads property rights for years.
Local rent and tenant measures
Tacoma, Measure 1 (Safe Homes for All): passing, 59.5% to 40.5%. The measure requires the city to investigate tenant complaints, sets a minimum $500 penalty per violation (up to five times the monthly rent), adds a per-unit rental license fee, and requires landlords to bargain in good faith with tenant unions. Landlord and real estate groups spent more than $850,000 against it, a Tacoma record. The city manager estimates it could cost $8 million to $10 million a year to run. It is expected to take effect when the election is certified. If you own or manage rentals in Tacoma, WBPA will share compliance details as the city writes its rules.
Bellingham, Initiative 26-01: passing, 81% to 19%. The measure bans algorithmic rent-pricing software and agreements between landlords to set rents, with city fines and whistleblower protections for tenants and employees.
Together, Tacoma and Bellingham show tenant measures continuing to win at the local level. Expect supporters to use them as momentum in Olympia this session.
The Legislature
| Chamber | Before | If current leads hold |
|---|---|---|
| State House (98) | 59 D, 39 R | 68 D, 30 R |
| State Senate (49) | 30 D, 19 R | 31 D, 18 R |
Democrats lead in nine Republican-held House seats, including all four in the 17th and 18th Districts in Clark County and both in the 14th in the Yakima Valley. Several races are within a few hundred votes, so the final House number could land anywhere from about 66 to 70. In the Senate, Carolina Mejia leads Sen. Drew MacEwen by 1,380 votes in the 35th.
Moderate Democrats also paid a price. Both House Democrats who voted against the income tax, Reps. Amy Walen (48th) and Melanie Morgan (29th), are trailing progressive challengers. The House Democratic caucus is likely to be larger and further to the left, with fewer members in the middle. A supermajority would mean less need to negotiate, and proposals that stalled in recent sessions, including new revenue and expanded tenant protections, are likely to return with better odds.
Races to watch as the count continues: Position 4 on the Supreme Court, the 35th District Senate seat, and the House seats in the 25th, 35th, and 39th Districts, where the margins are under 1,000 votes.
What it means for 2027
WBPA's 2027 agenda does not change: promote electronic notices, oppose the rental junk fee bill, defeat new real estate taxes, keep real estate exempt from the capital gains tax, and stop any tax on rent. These results make every one of those fights harder, especially on taxes. That is why WBPA is starting now.
Meet your new legislators before session. If current leads hold, about 27 new lawmakers, roughly one in five, will arrive in Olympia. They are forming their views on housing and property right now. The most effective meeting is back home in the district, with a constituent at their own property. If you have a new legislator, reply or contact us and WBPA will set up the meeting. Committee Assembly Days are December 7 through 11, and session convenes January 11.
See the 2027 agenda | Join WBPA
Source: unofficial county returns as reported November 3 and 4, 2026.